Mike Tyson touches down in Shanghai

Mike Tyson, the former World Heavyweight Champion, arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport this morning, for a three-day visit in the city.

A large crowd greeted Tyson at the airport when he arrived, however, he was quickly whisked off to Jinjiang Hotel on No.59, Maoming Road S., one of the city’s most historic hotels and an appointed venue hosting top officials from home and abroad.

Invited by one of his friends, Tyson is set to cut the ribbon for a new night club later today. Guests may also be treated with a live show starring Tyson after the ceremony.

The rest of the story rehashes stuff you already know about Tyson's visit.

More than US$30 million in debt, Tyson has been doing a lot of globe-trotting recently, going almost anywhere people will pay him to go: Ireland, England, Chechnya, Italy, Argentina. London's Sunday Times recently published a story featuring some sad quotes from the former "baddest man on the planet":

“I don’t want my legacy to be that I was just some pugnacious guy. I don’t like ‘Iron Mike’. I wish I was never associated with him,” he said enigmatically. “I’m a different person, I guess. I don’t believe now what I believed in 20 years ago.”

... Now he is “just Mike, just a normal guy trying to be happy, though I know I never will be”. ...

“I believe I’ll die alone. I’ve been a loner all my life with my secrets and my pain and I’d want it that way,” he said recently. “I’m trying to find myself but I’m really lost. I’m really a sad, pathetic case. My whole life has been a waste. I’ve been a failure.

“I just want to escape. I’m really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to get this part of my life over with as soon as possible. I’m so stigmatised, there is no way I can elevate myself. They would give (deceased serial killer) Jeffrey Dahmer a second chance before they give me another one.”

... “It’s a pervasive belief that I’m an animal, undomesticated, but regardless of the bizarre stuff I’ve done I’m a very rational individual,” he said.

“Everybody thinks I’m crazy and stupid because that’s what they want to believe. I think about Cus (his former mentor, Cus D’Amato) and what he told me. ‘You’re the type of guy who has to be hurt to learn,’ he said. I’m p***ed off today because he was right about everything.”

We hope tonight goes well for Tyson. We hope he has a good time at Snatch. Unfortunately, we can't attend -- work beckons. Any Shanghaiist readers going? Let us know if you are. We'd like to hear your stories and see your photos.

Photo from Shanghai Daily.

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The latest on Mike Tyson's visit to Shanghai
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